Obesity has become a clear problem in America. In 1990, approximately 10 % of adults were obese. Today, the percentage is at least double that and it continues to rise. According to recent reports, three states estimate that at least one third of their adult population is obese. Not overweight, but obese! That is a lot of people!
Recent studies have also discovered that the rise of obesity rates is being fueled by Americans’ love of fast food. How much fast food do you eat a week? The average American eats three hamburgers and four orders of French fries each week. Approximately half of the country’s family food budgets are spent in restaurants, with fast food restaurants accounting for a large portion of the spending.
In addition to obesity, eating fast food regularly has a number of other adverse health effects:
· People who eat fast food twice a week or more are 50 % more likely to become over weight.
· Fast food contains high levels of transfat. Transfat is not a natural fat. It is created during the processing of natural fats, and because it is not a natural fat, the body cannot process it. Transfat has been linked to obesity as well as increased risks of heart disease and cancer.
· Fast food doubles the risk of abnormal glucose control, which is the inability to break down sugar efficiently. Abnormal glucose control often foreshadows diabetes.
Obesity and the other negative health effects of fast food are a result of both the high levels of calories and fat that is found in the food, as well as the large portions. A double quarter pounder with cheese contains 740 calories and 44 grams of fat. A pepperoni personal pan pizza has 800 calories and 39 grams of fat. These numbers do not even include the large sodas or orders of french fries that often come as part of the meal. You do not have to choose the large portion meal, but many Americans find it hard to resist an extra-large soda and order of French fries for only a few cents more than the small. While the monetary price difference is small, the health risk difference is huge. The total average calories for a fast food meal amounts to approximately 1,600. This is more calories than some people should eat in an entire day. The total fat numbers also tend to be higher than the amount of fat that a person should consume in one day.
The adverse health effects connected with fast food can be avoided. Diabetes as a result of eating habits is obviously avoidable and obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death, following smoking. New studies have showed how life expectancy is shortened for those who are overweight and even further shortened by obesity. Those who are overweight at 40 are estimated to live three years less than healthy people and those who are obese at 40 are estimated to live six to seven years less. Smoking doubles these numbers even more. A middle-aged obese smoker can subtract 13 to 14 years from their life expectancy.
One of the best ways to prevent obesity and early death due to obesity is to cut fast food out of your diet. Those who do not eat fast food have much lower levels of obesity and therefore have higher life expectancies.
Don’t you think that your keeping your body healthy is one of the most important aspects of your life? Prevent obesity, the second leading cause of preventable death, blast fast food from your diet!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Senior Health : Which Fats Are Healthy For You?
Fats are often viewed with a negative connotation in regards to health. They are associated with heart disease, high cholesterol, and obesity. In the past, diets have been based around trying to eliminate the amount of fats that are consumed. However, recent studies have discovered that they are actually necessary in order to remain healthy.
The different kinds of fats…
Fats are broken down into three groups- saturated fats, mono-unsaturated fats, and poly-unsaturated fats. Poly-unsaturated fats are then further broken down into two groups- omega 3 and omega 6 fats. Each type of fat is equally important to the body because the body uses the different types for different things. Most foods that are found in nature contain a combination of the three. Some foods that are high in saturated fats are butter, cheese, milk, and coconut. Foods that are high in mono-unsaturated fats include avocado, nuts, and olive oil.
Omega 3 and omega 6 fats are especially important because they contain essential fats that the body cannot make on its own, so you need to obtain them from an outside source. Most Americans are consuming too many omega 6 fats and not enough omega 3 fats. This is due to processed foods that are made with partially hydrogenated soybean oil, which is high in omega 6 fats. Ideally, the consumption of omega 6 to omega 3 fats should be in a 2:1 ratio. With a high consumption of omega 6 fats, it is important to try to balance the ratio by increasing consumption in omega 3 fats. Some foods that are high in omega 3 fats are walnuts, flax seeds, sardines, and cold water fish, such as salmon.
The bad fats…
Fats are good when they are natural and in unprocessed foods. They become bad after they are damaged by exposure to heat, light, and oxygen. Fats are often damaged during food processing, when they are exposed to the high heats and chemicals that are used by the manufacturers. Partial hydrogenation is a process that is used to give oils a longer shelf life, which damages the fats and creates Transfat. Transfat is a normal fat molecule that has been deformed during the hydrogenation process. It is not normal to the body, so the body does not know how to process it. Studies have linked Transfat with many health risks, including heart disease and cancer. Manufacturers are now required to include Transfat on nutrition labels. Some foods that contain this bad type of fat are margarine, fried fast food, doughnuts, and processed foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
Poly-unsaturated fats can also be easily damaged, creating dangerous fats. Cooking with flax seed oil for example, damages the fats. Therefore, oils that are high in mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, or saturated fats, such as coconut oil, are best for cooking. The heat does not damage them.
How the good fats are excellent for your health…
· Fats are used in all parts of the human body. They compose 60% of the brain and are essential to brain functioning. This includes moods, memory retention, and learning abilities.
· The heart also uses fat to function. 60% of the heart’s energy comes from burning fat. It is also used to keep the heart beating on a regular rhythm.
· The lungs require a high level of saturated fats in order to work correctly and keep from collapsing.
· Fats insulate nerves and well-insulated nerves are able to transmit chemical signals faster.
· Fats help slow down the digestion process, which gives the body more time to absorb the food’s nutrients. This also keeps you feeling full longer.
How to get good fats into your diet…
Eating good fats is essential to a healthy diet and there are many ways to incorporate them into your meals. Eat natural foods that have not been through any processing with heat. This includes raw nuts, seeds, avocados, or olives. Cook with oils that have been processed as little as possible. Make your own salad dressings using pure oils. Make sure you get enough omega 3 fats into your diet. Avoid animal fats. And finally, avoid foods that contain partially hydrogenated oil.
By getting healthy fats into your diet, you will be on your way to living as a healthier person!
The different kinds of fats…
Fats are broken down into three groups- saturated fats, mono-unsaturated fats, and poly-unsaturated fats. Poly-unsaturated fats are then further broken down into two groups- omega 3 and omega 6 fats. Each type of fat is equally important to the body because the body uses the different types for different things. Most foods that are found in nature contain a combination of the three. Some foods that are high in saturated fats are butter, cheese, milk, and coconut. Foods that are high in mono-unsaturated fats include avocado, nuts, and olive oil.
Omega 3 and omega 6 fats are especially important because they contain essential fats that the body cannot make on its own, so you need to obtain them from an outside source. Most Americans are consuming too many omega 6 fats and not enough omega 3 fats. This is due to processed foods that are made with partially hydrogenated soybean oil, which is high in omega 6 fats. Ideally, the consumption of omega 6 to omega 3 fats should be in a 2:1 ratio. With a high consumption of omega 6 fats, it is important to try to balance the ratio by increasing consumption in omega 3 fats. Some foods that are high in omega 3 fats are walnuts, flax seeds, sardines, and cold water fish, such as salmon.
The bad fats…
Fats are good when they are natural and in unprocessed foods. They become bad after they are damaged by exposure to heat, light, and oxygen. Fats are often damaged during food processing, when they are exposed to the high heats and chemicals that are used by the manufacturers. Partial hydrogenation is a process that is used to give oils a longer shelf life, which damages the fats and creates Transfat. Transfat is a normal fat molecule that has been deformed during the hydrogenation process. It is not normal to the body, so the body does not know how to process it. Studies have linked Transfat with many health risks, including heart disease and cancer. Manufacturers are now required to include Transfat on nutrition labels. Some foods that contain this bad type of fat are margarine, fried fast food, doughnuts, and processed foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
Poly-unsaturated fats can also be easily damaged, creating dangerous fats. Cooking with flax seed oil for example, damages the fats. Therefore, oils that are high in mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, or saturated fats, such as coconut oil, are best for cooking. The heat does not damage them.
How the good fats are excellent for your health…
· Fats are used in all parts of the human body. They compose 60% of the brain and are essential to brain functioning. This includes moods, memory retention, and learning abilities.
· The heart also uses fat to function. 60% of the heart’s energy comes from burning fat. It is also used to keep the heart beating on a regular rhythm.
· The lungs require a high level of saturated fats in order to work correctly and keep from collapsing.
· Fats insulate nerves and well-insulated nerves are able to transmit chemical signals faster.
· Fats help slow down the digestion process, which gives the body more time to absorb the food’s nutrients. This also keeps you feeling full longer.
How to get good fats into your diet…
Eating good fats is essential to a healthy diet and there are many ways to incorporate them into your meals. Eat natural foods that have not been through any processing with heat. This includes raw nuts, seeds, avocados, or olives. Cook with oils that have been processed as little as possible. Make your own salad dressings using pure oils. Make sure you get enough omega 3 fats into your diet. Avoid animal fats. And finally, avoid foods that contain partially hydrogenated oil.
By getting healthy fats into your diet, you will be on your way to living as a healthier person!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Senior Health : Why Organic Food Is So Much Better
As we learn more about food and the toxins that can often be found in our food, it is becoming clear that simply eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is not the only way to improve a diet. The purity of the food that you are eating also needs to be taken into consideration. The way that food is grown or raised can have an impact on your health.
What’s the difference between conventional food and organic food?
The main difference between conventional food and organic food is the way the food is grown and processed. Conventional food can contain chemicals from fertilizers and insecticides, but organic foods are grown with natural fertilizers, crop rotation, and animals are given space to roam freely. There are legal standards that need to be met in order for food to be marked organic. These standards include:
· The food must be grown in soil that does not contain chemicals including, sewage sludge, potassium chloride, or lead salts. The soil must be free of such chemicals for at least three years before the first organic harvest.
· Food cannot be modified in any way. This includes use of GMOs (genetically modified organisms), irradiation and additives.
· Organic food must be kept separate from non-organic food through all of the stages of growing and processing.
· Organic livestock must be fed food that is 100 percent organic.
· The animals must have access to the outdoors, including room for appropriate exercise.
What are the negative effects of pesticides in conventional food?
Mount Sinai School of Medicine conducted a study that tested for pollutants in the human body. An average of 84 chemicals was found in an individual’s blood, some of which had been outlawed for years. This is known as the “chemical body burden” and has been linked to developmental delays, motor dysfunction, and behavioral disorders.
GMOs or genetically modified organisms can also have negative health impacts. Genetic engineering in food began in order to try to increase the benefits that can be found in certain types of fruits and vegetables. Beginning in 1994, genetically engineered foods could be found in supermarkets. The possible negative health effects associated with GMOs include new or unknown allergies, decreased levels of nutrition, increased levels the toxins and antibiotic resistance.
As concern over food-borne illness has increased, many countries have approved food irradiation, which is the exposure of food to a small amount of radiation in order to kill bacteria, such as E.coli and Salmonella. During the radiation, the food is exposed to known carcinogens, but the risks to the consumer are still unknown.
What are the benefits of eating organic foods?
Not only do organic foods eliminate the dangers posed by pesticides, GMOs, and irradiation, but they also provide additional health benefits of their own.
· Organic foods contain more antioxidants than conventional foods. Pesticides used in the growing of conventional food reduce the plant’s chemicals that create antioxidants.
· Organic foods have higher levels of magnesium, iron, calcium, and vitamin C, among other nutrients.
Where can I buy organic foods?
Organic foods can be found in most supermarkets or groceries. Ask your grocer if your store carries organic food. If not, they may be able to begin to order more or direct you to a nearby store that does carry organic foods. Once you start eating organic foods, you will be well on your way to an improved diet that will leave you feeling healthier than ever!
What’s the difference between conventional food and organic food?
The main difference between conventional food and organic food is the way the food is grown and processed. Conventional food can contain chemicals from fertilizers and insecticides, but organic foods are grown with natural fertilizers, crop rotation, and animals are given space to roam freely. There are legal standards that need to be met in order for food to be marked organic. These standards include:
· The food must be grown in soil that does not contain chemicals including, sewage sludge, potassium chloride, or lead salts. The soil must be free of such chemicals for at least three years before the first organic harvest.
· Food cannot be modified in any way. This includes use of GMOs (genetically modified organisms), irradiation and additives.
· Organic food must be kept separate from non-organic food through all of the stages of growing and processing.
· Organic livestock must be fed food that is 100 percent organic.
· The animals must have access to the outdoors, including room for appropriate exercise.
What are the negative effects of pesticides in conventional food?
Mount Sinai School of Medicine conducted a study that tested for pollutants in the human body. An average of 84 chemicals was found in an individual’s blood, some of which had been outlawed for years. This is known as the “chemical body burden” and has been linked to developmental delays, motor dysfunction, and behavioral disorders.
GMOs or genetically modified organisms can also have negative health impacts. Genetic engineering in food began in order to try to increase the benefits that can be found in certain types of fruits and vegetables. Beginning in 1994, genetically engineered foods could be found in supermarkets. The possible negative health effects associated with GMOs include new or unknown allergies, decreased levels of nutrition, increased levels the toxins and antibiotic resistance.
As concern over food-borne illness has increased, many countries have approved food irradiation, which is the exposure of food to a small amount of radiation in order to kill bacteria, such as E.coli and Salmonella. During the radiation, the food is exposed to known carcinogens, but the risks to the consumer are still unknown.
What are the benefits of eating organic foods?
Not only do organic foods eliminate the dangers posed by pesticides, GMOs, and irradiation, but they also provide additional health benefits of their own.
· Organic foods contain more antioxidants than conventional foods. Pesticides used in the growing of conventional food reduce the plant’s chemicals that create antioxidants.
· Organic foods have higher levels of magnesium, iron, calcium, and vitamin C, among other nutrients.
Where can I buy organic foods?
Organic foods can be found in most supermarkets or groceries. Ask your grocer if your store carries organic food. If not, they may be able to begin to order more or direct you to a nearby store that does carry organic foods. Once you start eating organic foods, you will be well on your way to an improved diet that will leave you feeling healthier than ever!
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